What you will find in the Rico pattern range
This is one of the broadest single-brand pattern collections on the site, and it is weighted towards things people actually knit repeatedly: baby cardigans and matching hats, toddler jumpers with a motif on the front, plain adult raglans, textured cardigans, beanies, cowls and small gift knits. Rico writes for the yarn it makes, which is the quiet advantage here. The tension is realistic for the yarn, the ball quantities are stated per size, and the finished measurements are given, so there is far less guesswork than when you match a pattern to a substitute yarn you have never used.
Choosing by skill level
- Absolute beginner: a garter stitch scarf or a simple beanie in aran – two evenings, one ball, and you learn cast on, knit and cast off.
- Getting comfortable: a baby cardigan knitted flat in pieces. Small enough to finish, and it teaches increases, buttonholes and seaming.
- Confident knitter: a top-down adult raglan, tried on as you go.
- Stretching yourself: cabled panels, textured stitch patterns and intarsia motifs on children's knits.
- Gift knitting in a hurry: hats, cowls, mitts and baby booties, most of which come out of one or two balls.
Yarn weight, tension and quantity
The bulk of these patterns sit in DK and aran, with a run of 4 ply baby designs and some chunky accessories. If you are using the specified Rico yarn, the ball count on the pattern is reliable. If you substitute, work to metres: check the metres per ball on your yarn against the metres per ball on the original and recalculate, rather than buying the same number of balls. Knit a 15cm tension square in the stated stitch pattern, wash it as you will wash the garment, and measure across the middle. Baby knits are the easiest place to get away with a small tension error and the easiest place to regret one, because a cardigan that is a centimetre wide per side stops fitting a month early.
Techniques that come up often
Expect raglan and set-in sleeve shaping, picked-up button bands, simple cable crossings and the occasional stranded or intarsia motif. Two habits make all of this easier. First, place a stitch marker either side of every shaping line so you never have to count backwards to find your place. Second, when picking up stitches for a band, pick up roughly three stitches for every four rows along a stocking stitch edge and adjust on the first row – too few and the band pulls, too many and it flares.
Finishing, buttons and care
Block pieces before seaming; it makes mattress stitch far easier and hides a multitude of edge sins. Choose buttons after the band is knitted, not before, so you can match them to the actual buttonhole size, and sew them on with a shank of a few strands so the band sits flat when fastened. For anything that will be worn by a child, choose machine washable yarn and wash on a cool wool cycle in a mesh bag. Weave ends along the stitch line and give them a few centimetres of travel so they do not pop out after the third wash.
Rico knitting pattern questions
Are Rico patterns instant downloads?
Many are supplied as PDFs you download after purchase; the format is stated on each pattern's page.
Do I need Rico yarn to knit them?
No, but the patterns are written around Rico yarns, so substituting means matching tension and total metreage yourself.
Are there Rico baby knitting patterns?
Yes, baby and children's designs are a large part of the range, from newborn cardigans and booties to toddler jumpers.
Which patterns suit a first-time knitter?
Anything worked flat in garter or stocking stitch with no shaping: scarves, cowls, simple hats and blanket squares.
Where do I see the rest?
Browse cardigan knitting patterns or all knitting patterns.
